Life in Pieces

As the Short familys lives unfold in four brief stories each week, they try to savor the moments that add up to what life’s all about.

When Matt invites Colleen to brunch with the family, he coaches her through the difficult task of connecting with them. Also, John, Matt and Greg try to prove their masculinity by cutting down a tree in Gregs backyard, Tim has an adverse reaction to espresso, and a sleep-deprived Greg has a run-in with the cops.

Tim and Heather unintentionally make things incredibly awkward for Tyler when he brings his gorgeous new girlfriend, Clementine, to meet the family. Also, Matt and Colleen are caught canoodling at the office by their obnoxious co-worker, Will, Jen and Greg vow not to become germaphobes, and John buys Sophia a cell phone behind her parents backs.

When Jen and Greg interview potential nannies for Lark, they find it difficult to find one they trust. Also, Tim, Matt and Greg go camping, Heather suspects Matt bought Colleen earrings with money she loaned him, and John makes a wooden puppet for Lark that the family has more fun playing with than she does.

When Jen cuts her finger and Greg takes her to the hospital, they finally have the first quality alone time they’ve had in months. Also, John takes Samantha and Sophia to a restaurant where everything is named after feelings, Heather gives Tim a sexy anniversary gift, and Sophia is punished after Heather hears her swearing.

Colleen joins John and his Air Force buddies for his annual tradition of dirty Christmas caroling. Also, Joan tries to hijack Lark’s first Christmas from Jen and Greg, Samantha sneaks out with her friends and is caught when a photo of her and a mall Santa is posted online, and Tyler announces his plans for college,

Greg joins Colleens gym and goes overboard gearing up to work out. Also, Heather and Jen host a secret garage sale that directly competes with one Joan is having, Tyler and Samantha throw a party while Heather and Tim are away for the weekend, and the family has second thoughts about eating lobster for dinner.

When Joans freewheeling nephew, Mikey, comes for a visit, the family members are on edge since nobody really likes him. Also, Tyler brings Clementine, to visit his great-grandmother, Greg and Jen find a solution to their sleeping woes, and Matt takes over for Tim as Sophias soccer coach.

When John starts feeling old, he attempts to make himself look younger, much to the dismay of his family. Also, Heather worries that Sophia’s piano recital will be a disaster; Jen, Greg and Lark go to an over-the-top birthday party full of overachieving parents who make them panic about getting Lark into a good preschool; and Matt meets Colleen’s mother, Mia, for the first time.

John and Joan disagree with their neighbors, Jerry and Pam, about who gets to use the hot tub when new property lines are drawn. Also, Greg and Jen invite their exterminator and his wife over for dinner, Matt and Colleen make an effort to be friends, and Tim is terrified to perform minor surgery on John.

Tim thinks wearing a Cinderella dress during March Madness is good luck, so he refuses to take it off in hopes his alma mater will win. Also, Greg fantasizes about what to write in a birthday card for his boss, Tyler goes to prom and must withstand unsolicited advice from his parents and grandparents, and Jen sets Matt up on a blind date with her coworker, Dougie.

In the second season opener, Heather and Tim ask Clementines parents to convince Clementine and Tyler to get a marriage annulment; Matt moves in with Colleen, much to the dismay of her roommate; John takes the wrong dose of his daily pill, which leads to complications.

When Tim accidentally shaves off a huge chunk of eyebrow before an important photoshoot, he hopes Jen and Colleens grooming expertise can fix it. Also, when Gigi passes away, Greg makes an anonymous donation with the money she left him, but later realizes he wants to be recognized for it; John learns firsthand what Gigis life was like at the nursing home; and Joan honors her mothers memory with unusual jewelry.

When Joans creative writing teacher, Professor Sinclair Wilde, praises her work, John assumes it is because he has a crush on her. Also, Tyler and Clementine invite Matt and Colleen over for an awkward dinner party; Jen tries to hide it from Greg when Lark takes her first steps while hes away on a business trip; and Colleen, Heather and Jen take Dougie out for ladies night when she realizes she might be gay.

When John decides to try out for "Survivor," Tim gets jealous and attempts to undermine his audition tape. Also, Colleen confesses she cant swim when she and Matt discuss Hawaii as a honeymoon destination; Jen pretends to get hooked on meditation so she can use the time to play cell phone games; and Heather gives Sophia the "sex" talk.

The Shorts take a trip down memory lane with a #TBT to Y2K, when John and Joan throw a party to celebrate the turn of the century. Also, #TBT to Heather and Tims parenting styles before they had Sophia.

When Colleen and Matt host the family tailgate party at the L.A. Rams game, they invite former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner to spice up their so far dismal event. Also, Tims in danger of missing the game when Sophia makes him take her to the restroom.

When Greg and Jen hire Allie, a private chef, to cook for them on Valentines Day, the evening isnt as romantic as they had hoped. Also, Matt and Colleen try to adopt a dog from Ruth, a judgmental animal advocate; John and Joan attempt to buy a classic car from dealership owner Gavin; and Sophia gets a necklace from a boy for Valentines Day, to the chagrin of Heather and Tim.

Dinner gets awkward for Jen and Matt when they find themselves alone without Greg and Colleen. Also, Lark accidentally locks out Greg and Jen from the house, prompting Greg to install a complicated home automation system; Heather and Tim try to sneak wine into an ice skating show to get out of paying at the venue; and John and Joan agree to an impromptu wedding after Colleen mentions that shes an ordained minister.

Matt and Colleen experience crazy sleepwalking adventures after taking a sleep aid; Jen tells Greg she had a sex dream about a family member; Tim wants to help Sophia get through a slumber party; John installs a motion-sensor light in the yard.

Matt and Colleen have a disastrous time babysitting Lark while Jen is at work. Also, Sophia is far from pleased when John buys her a butterfly kit for her birthday; Tim and Heather rehash an old fight from the early days of their relationship; and Greg gives Samantha questionable advice about being an entrepreneur for her school project.

When Greg and Jen take Lark on her first airplane trip, their parental skills are upstaged by another couple travelling with their baby. Also, Joan and John attempt to smuggle their dog, Tank, onto the plane; Matt and Colleen miss their flights when they accept travel vouchers for airline credits; and Heather and Tim run into countless obstacles when trying to get to the airport on time.

When the entire Hughes family moves into John and Joans home after their kitchen is destroyed, their presence creates chaos for Joan. Also, Matt and Colleen are set to receive a huge monetary settlementfrom Colleens fall off the motel balcony on their wedding night; John tries to get Sophia back on track when she starts misbehaving; Tyler and Clementine make a surprise announcement to the family; and Jen and Greg attempt to persuade Lark to get rid of her pacifier.

When Heather finds a map to a time capsule she buried with her brothers as kids, they all set out to find it and dig it up. Also, Jen learns she has a low car service rating so she books rides across the city to charm drivers and increase her score; Joan joins her neighbors poker game in an effort to win an unusual prize; and John finally gets hearing aids but they arent having the effect he was hoping for.

When Tim and Heather go to an expensive dinner to celebrate their anniversary, they are determined to finish every bite of their pricey 20-course meal. Also, Jen and Greg try to quickly potty-train Lark before her first day of preschool; Tyler gets jealous of the attention Clementine is getting at work; and Matt and Samantha team up for a “Middle Child Day” and go to a trapeze school.

When Jen and Greg hire Clementine as a part-time nanny for Lark and invite her to join them for dinner, the waitress mistakes Jen for Larks grandmother. Also, Tylers new girlfriend turns out to be Sophias fourth grade teacher, John hires a questionable company to set up an escape room in his house, and Matt grows frustrated with Colleen when she blames a valet for stealing her lottery ticket.

When Sophia asks Matt and Colleen about having children, an animated sequence featuring the whole family as farm animals reveals that they have been struggling to have a baby. Also, Jen and Gregs new neighbors arent as nice as they initially seem; Heather interferes with Tims hiring process at the office; and the whole family surprises Joan at her book reading, to her chagrin.

When Jen sings in Tylers band, she gets caught up in the excitement and creates an awkward situation for him. Also, John and Greg decide to brew beer together, Matt donates one of his paintings to a silent auction for Tims medical charity, and Heather becomes jealous of Joans friendship with a classmate.

When Matt drives Greg to a job interview, they encounter a few bizarre obstacles that jeopardize getting him there on time. Also, with Johns help, Tyler listens in on a therapy session between Clementine and Joan to see if she still has feelings for him; Tim bribes Samantha to attend online traffic school in his place; and Jen tries to convince Colleen and Tim to join her boycott of family get-togethers.

When Sophia feels like she is no longer the cutest kid in the Short family, she tries frantically to regain her status. Also, Joan gives Jen a beautiful necklace, forgetting she already gave it to Heather for her Sweet 16, and now she has to get it back; Greg tries to fit in with his new young coworkers but takes things too far; and Colleen and Tim bond when he helps her administer the hormone injections for her IVF treatment.

Jen and Greg go to great lengths to find the perfect babysitter for Lark. Also, John becomes testy when shopping for a mattress and Joan realizes the unusual source of his aggravation; Heather learns information about Samanthas boyfriend that she isnt sure she should reveal; and Matt believes he may have a history with Colleens sister after he meets her for the first time.

The Short familys quirky history is revealed with stories of when Tim met Heathers family for the first time; when Jen and Greg bought their dream home; when Matt got sidetracked after he saw Colleen while waiting for a blind date; and Johns last flight before retiring.

Jen and Greg find out a surprising piece of news. Also, Sophia wants to get a second piercing in her ear, to the dismay of Heather and Tim; Colleen and Matt send out a video thank you message for their wedding gifts that irritates the family; and John takes a modeling job but is horrified when he finds out his image is used alongside a product for the elderly.

When the Short family arrives at their vacation resort in the Yucatan, their accommodations aren’t quite what they expected. Heather is ridiculously overprotective of Sophia during the family activities. Jen and Greg discover that Matt and Colleen have been duping everyone. John and Joan get separated from their tour group in the jungle.

While Joan is bedridden recovering from surgery, she persuades Sophia to spend time with her, which she quickly regrets. Jen and Greg select a name for their new baby only to learn that Matt and Colleen chose the same one. Colleen and Matt invite the family over to get to know Morgan. Heather has a new business idea.

After Tim has a heart attack, he becomes super clingy and annoys the entire family. Also, Greg and Jen make a pact to keep their babys gender a secret; Sophias new pet frog turns out to be a dangerous species; and Matt and Colleen receive news about their impending adoption.

Greg scrambles to find Lark when he loses her at the hospital while visiting Jen and the new baby. Also, Heather offers to help Sophia with her math homework but can’t figure out the new teaching method; Matt enrolls his adopted son, Lucas, in a father/son art class; and Colleen organizes a family photo shoot and glams Joan up for the occasion.

When Tim gets a toupee, the family try their best to hide their horrified reactions; Jen fights for face time with her boss; Joan decides to retire; Greg and Matt build a playhouse for the kids.

Jen and Greg hire Edna—the cleaning lady who has worked for John and Joan for years—but Jen is horrified at her strange habits. Matt, Heather and Greg race to find the valuable souvenir pens John brought them when they were kids. Lucas is terrified of Joan. When Tim invites Matt over to watch a sporting event on television, it takes a weird turn.

When Tim and Heather realize that being grandparents is very far off in the future, they decide to have another baby. Joan gets frustrated when she keeps getting tasked with watching the grandkids. Jen and Greg decide to look for a new house. Matt gets a job offer in Germany, which is problematic for Colleen and Lucas.